Warming Centers Open Across Cook County

As the mercury dips below freezing, the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) reminds residents to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves and their families. 

Residents should follow these tips during cold weather to keep themselves and their families safe:

• Never use your oven for heat
• Never bring charcoal or gas grills indoors (they are a carbon monoxide hazard)
• Make sure all portable heaters are unplugged when not in use
• Use electric space heaters with extreme caution – avoid placing them near curtains or other flammable materials and turn them off before going to bed
• Keep moving. Your body generates its own heat when you engage in physical activity

Municipalities around Cook County have opened warming centers for area resident; please see As the mercury dips below freezing, the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) reminds residents to take appropriate precautions to protect themselves and their families. 

Residents should follow these tips during cold weather to keep themselves and their families safe:

• Never use your oven for heat
• Never bring charcoal or gas grills indoors (they are a carbon monoxide hazard)
• Make sure all portable heaters are unplugged when not in use
• Use electric space heaters with extreme caution – avoid placing them near curtains or other flammable materials and turn them off before going to bed
• Keep moving. Your body generates its own heat when you engage in physical activity

Municipalities around Cook County have opened warming centers for area resident; please see attached document for more details. 

Residents who need to seek shelter at a warming center should contact the center first to verify it is open.

For more information, media may contact the Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management at 312.603.8286.

The Cook County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management integrates first responders, their departments and resources from 134 Cook County municipalities, and serves as the central agency in Cook County for coordinating efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from all incidents, whether man-made or natural. For more information, visit our website at www.cookcountyhomelandsecurity.org.